Scarred Hearts
by WizardsGirl
Summary: Harry just wants a peaceful life, where he can heal and live a quiet life. When the magical backlash of his fight with Voldemort landed him in Equestria, he hoped for such a life, and, for a while, had it. But, this is HARRY, so of course things can't stay quiet forever... Utterly random plot bunny, no idea where this is going, throw some thoughts my way? Boredom Induced Story yay?
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Don't mind me, I'm just randomly working on PlotBunnies…

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Yeah.

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**R&R!**

**Scarred Hearts**

_**Prologue**_

Harry hummed quietly as he opened his shop, smiling slightly at the crowded streets of Ponyville. He always opened in the late afternoon, and stayed open until the early morning. He couldn't sleep at night anymore, not after his experiences back _THERE_…

Not when his ebony coat was still broken up by the coarse bumps and dead-white form of his scars, and his left eye remained permanently unseeing behind the goggles he wore. He shook his head, green mane flopping about, just as messy as it had been when he was human, and turned back to his work, horn glowing as he neatly lifted clean cups onto the counter, ready for any customers he might receive, before he settled behind the counter to patiently wait, grinding herbs in the quiet, mind wandering.

He'd been in the World of Equestria for ten years, now, transported there when the backlash of his Final Battle with the now-completely-dead-Voldemort had exploded around the clearing they'd been in, after the madman had held Harry captive for nearly a year. It had taken him that long to heal from all the injuries dear old Tom had inflicted on him. Now, though his body occasionally ached from an old wound, Harry was whole once more.

Scarred like a badly made scrapbook or Frankenstein monster, but, with his goggles covering his demolished eye-socket, and a cloak to cover his patchwork of scars and the tattered-yet-totally-functional wings that he _wasn't supposed to have_, he looked like nothing more than a strangely-dressed Pony. He remained polite and civil to everyone who walked through his doors, made them their tea or potion for whatever mild ache or pain they had, and taught a few magician tricks to what foals occasionally wandered into his shop, Starlight Café. Here, he was only known as the reclusive Orion Black, nothing more, and nothing less.

The anonymity was _beautiful_.

Smiling as the bells above his door tinkled softly, he nodded at the bouncing, beaming pink pony that entered, and set his pestle down next to his mortar.

"Good afternoon, Miss Pie," he greeted in his quiet, slightly hoarse voice, smiling as the Party Pony beamed up at him. "What can I get for you today?"

"Hiya, Mister Black!" the Mare chirped happily, before peering into the glass counter and looking over all the offered teas and ingredients. "Umm… Ooh, ooh! How about the Par-Tea!?" Harry smiled as she bounced, and obligingly poured her a large cup of the energy-and-happiness-inducing tea, a mixture of herbs that was basically the non-magical version of the Pepper-Up Potion from his original world.

"Here you are, Miss Pie," he handed it to her, and accepted her five bits with a quiet thank you, before watching her bounce over to a table and sit, humming happily as she gulped most of the still-scalding liquid down without batting an eyelash. He returned to his mortar and pestle and once more waited for a customer to show. Pinkie Pie was almost always his first customer every day, and between her coming in and the next customer, they shared a peaceful "quiet time", where Pinkie didn't feel the need to bounce around and chatter, and Harry had some decent company without the usual conversation.

It worked for both of them, and neither wanted to change it.

"There's a new pony in town," Pinkie announced out of the blue after she gulped the last of her tea; Harry made a questioning hum, and she continued. "I'm gonna throw her a party, 'cause she's new and doesn't have any friends right now!" Harry smiled faintly as he carefully poured the ground herbs into a pouch and set them in the proper place behind the glass counter.

"That's nice of you, Pinkie," he told her; she smiled as she bounced over to hand him her empty cup.

"You should come!" She told him; Harry had a quick flash of being surrounded, loud music, sudden movement, and shuddered, shaking his head softly at the pony.

"I don't do well in crowded places, Miss Pie," he told her gently, as he had several other times when she'd asked the same question. Pinkie didn't sigh, or get disappointed. She just nodded her head and smiled.

"Well then, one day, we'll just have to throw you your own, small party, Mister Black!" she declared; Harry chuckled and waved as she bounced out to go begin her preparations, passing the older Mare who was carefully shuffling in, her purple coat dusted with silver. Harry greeted her politely, and unhesitantly made her some aptly named Vitali-Tea, something that eased the body's aches and provided more energy.

After that, the day picked up, and Harry quietly made teas and potions for his mostly-elderly customers, smiling faintly as he listened to their friendly chatter, discussing the Summer Sun Celebration, both past and upcoming. Harry enjoyed this part of the afternoon the best, listening to the content and kindness of the older generation.

When night fell, and left him with only the very occasional partygoer who wanted a rest or a shot of extra energy, Harry was left mostly to his thoughts, which is something he didn't, honestly, like very much, not when coupled with the relatively peaceful silence of the late-night. Sighing, he set the pestle down and leaped over the counter, his horn glowing as he called his broom and dustpan over, and began to persistently clean, humming softly. When humming only did so much, however, he began to sing softly to himself. He wasn't much for spontaneous music, like Pinkie Pie and most other ponies were, but he could carry a tune, his voice a deep bass, almost a baritone, that was so different than many of the Stallions he'd heard in the daily duties of Ponyville. There seemed to be quite a few tenors amongst the usual crowd…

"_It's been so long,_

_Since my thoughts were quiet._

_Their loud voices_

_Fill my head with memories._

_That time is gone,_

_I wish I could forget._

_But, though my body is healed_

_My heart is bleeding, yet._

_For that darkness remains,_

_A stain on my soul..._

_Whispering all their names_

_Making me feel so cold._

_I've started anew,_

_Why can't I rest?_

_What can I do?_

_What's for the best?"_

Sighing, he looked at the time, and finished cleaning up before locking the shop and heading towards the center of town.

He hated being in crowded areas, but even he couldn't resist seeing what the Princess actually looked like.

**A/N:** Short chapter because meh, idek, bored and randomly working on stuff (Shrugs)

Suggestions?

Comments?

Concerns?

Questions?  
Hit me with them.

R&R!


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Pretty good reviews on this one, yay!

**Scarred Hearts **

**_Chapter One:_ **

_Nightmare Revelations_

Harry paused as he spotted the familiar, shuffling form of Granny Smith, accompanied by the patiently waiting Big Macintosh, and smiled faintly as he walked over to them.

"Hello, Madame Smith, Mister Macintosh," he greeted quietly, nodding to them both.

"Mister Black," Big Macintosh greeted in his deep drawl, nodding deeply.

"What? Black? Oh!" Granny Smith squinted at him, before her heavily creased face rolled into a sweet smile. "How are ya, youngin'? Goin' to th' Sun Raisin'?" Harry inclined his head, smiling still.

"Indeed, Madame Smith," he replied smoothly. "Perhaps you would do me the honor of allowing me to escort you?" He dipped into a careful bow, mindful of his damaged right foreleg (the knee would lock, at times, and make it very painful to use. _That_ injury he'd gained during the explosion that had dropped him off in Equestria, having landed on the damn thing when he'd fallen, senseless, from thirty feet in the air.). Granny Smith giggled like a young filly, pale green cheeks darkening, before she hooked her hoof through his offered foreleg, grinning.

"Well, I say," she giggled; Harry smiled and inclined his head to the thoroughly amused Macintosh, and watched the draft pony make his way inside while Harry patiently took a step every few minutes to keep up with the slowly shuffling elder, listening to her chatter about the dance she'd been escorted to as a young filly, and how beautiful her dress had been. Finally, they made it, and Harry gently escorted her to a seat, where she patted him on the shoulder, and, mid-sentence, drifted off to sleep, rocking lightly. Harry chuckled and magicked a blanket over her, before slipping off to the shadowed side of the room, watching all the chattering, excited ponies as he settled.

He watched absently as the Mayor stepped up, and greeted them all warmly. He couldn't hear all that she was saying very well, but he obligingly clapped his hooves when the room cheered, and, with a flourish, Mayor Mare introduced the Princess…

Who was apparently missing?

Oh dear.

Quickly, Harry looked around the crowd and spotted his favorite customer, and made his way to her.

"Miss Pie," he greeted, stepping out of the shadows beside the pink pony, who was trying to break the tension by trying to find the Princess under the table.

"Mister Black, you came!" she squealed, bouncing happily. "Do _you_ know where the Princess is?" Harry tilted his head, and looked up at the balcony where the Princess was supposed to be…

And where a star-filled, purple miasma was swirling ominously, making ponies cry out and gasp, before, with a snap of power, it broke apart, morphing into the mane and tail of a menacing pitch black Alicorn, who laughing cruelly, slit-pupil'd turquoise eyes glaring down at the crowd slyly.

"…Maybe you should ask her," Harry said wryly.

"Oh, my _beloved_ subjects," she called over the frightened crowd. "It's been _so long_ since I've seen you precious, little _sun-loving_ faces…"

"What did you do to our Princess?!" A cyan Pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail shouted angrily, attempting to fly at the dark Alicorn, held back quickly by and orange Earth Pony Mare.

"Why, am I not _Royal_ enough for you?" The Alicorn asked with a mocking chuckle, eyes narrowed. "Don't you know who I am?!"

"Ooh, ooh!" Pinkie Pie squealed, gaining the Alicorn's attention; before she could say more than that, however, Harry stepped forward and very gently placed a hoof over her mouth.

"It's rude to interrupt Royalty, Miss Pie," he intoned seriously, goggled eyes remaining on the Alicorn, who smirked coldly.

"Well, at least _one_ of you seems to know your _place_," she mocked cruelly.

"_I_ know who you are!" A sharp voice called; a young lavender Unicorn Mare stood tall in the center of an opening in the crowd, making the dark Alicorn narrow her eyes at her. "You're the Mare in the Moon, _Nightmare Moon!_" Gasps and cries rang out, several of them angry or denying. The dark Alicorn's eyes narrowed, and lightning crackled ominously, before a bolt of it lashed out, and Harry found himself moving without a thought.

Suddenly, his onyx-colored cape flashing around him dramatically as the lightning bolt connected with the tip of his horn, instead of the frozen form of the young, lavender Unicorn. He narrowed his eye behind his goggles, head bowing under the force of the Alicorn's power. With a fling of his head, he broke the line, and stood straight as fading electricity swirled impressively around his sharp horn.

"Impressive," Nightmare Moon grudgingly said, eyes narrowed thoughtfully on his form, before they skirted over the wide-eyed crowd. "Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last!" Her mane and tail once more swirled up and around her, a star-strewn vortex. "From this moment forth, the night will last, _forever!_" She cackled, as more thunder and lightning roared about her ominously.

"Seize her!" The Mayor cried to the Royal Guards. "Only she knows where the Princess is!" As the guards leapt at the Dark Princess, Harry glanced back at the young Unicorn.

"It may be best if you go, Miss," he told her quietly, seriously. "While everyone's distracted." Wide purple eyes stared up at him, before she nodded, grabbed the unconscious baby dragon from the floor behind her, and disappeared into the cowering, terrified crowd. Harry turned his attention forward and, with a flare of his horn, caught the easily beaten guards before they could hit the ground, setting the injured Stallions down safely. With an eerie cackle, Nightmare Moon swarmed out of the room in the form of her ominous miasma, flowing close to Harry, who turned his head silently to watch her go and made no move to try to stop her as she disappeared into the night.

In the aftermath, he noticed Pinkie Pie and a few of her close friends disappearing, and wondered if they had gone to help the Unicorn, who no doubt would be gathering more information on the situation. She had the same 'look-before-you-leap' edge to her, as far as Harry had seen, that had matched the Hermione of his early Hogwarts Days. Harry, however, had other things to worry about.

As quick as he could, he disappeared from the crowd and teleported to the small apartment above his Café. There, he walked into his room, and to the sturdy, dark-wooded chest sitting there. With a flare of his horn, he unlocked and unwarded it, before the lid lifted up and he stepped forward to peer inside grimly at what sat waiting.

When he'd first arrived in Equestria, in his new form, he had not appeared bare or in the bloodstained rags that had once been a robe. Instead, he'd appeared in armor, platinum with deep blue edges, and the onyx-cape he'd kept.

And Gryffindor's golden sword turned blue-silver, the ruby in the hilt turned into an emerald, which was now resting in its sheath on his back.

The same sword that made his usually hidden cutie-mark, surrounded by the shape of an emerald-green shield shape.

In grim silence, he put on his armor, and re-attached his cape as it was meant to sit, attached to his shoulders. Silently, he turned towards the balcony door and stepped outside, calmly settling his helmet on his head; the navy plume broke by thin streaks of emerald. He lifted his face towards the sky, and stared at the blank, full moon, eye narrowing as he used his magic to lock onto a few specific magical signatures, before he spread his large, tattered black wings, and teleported towards the one he wanted.

A sharp flash of his magic and he used his spread wings to keep him from falling, taking in the scene before him. The Unicorn from before, with Pinkie and a few others, had been standing on a cliff edge when it had crumbled out from under them. With a flare of his wings, he arched his body, and dove down towards them all, horn glowing neatly as he caught Pinkie Pie and the white Unicorn (if he remembered from Pinkie's descriptions, that one was Rarity… Right?), flying over the lot of them as he landed at the bottom of the cliff, setting the two down neatly. He looked up in time to watch the Unicorn be caught by the cyan Pegasus and a pale gold one, before Pinkie Pie was bouncing in his face, eyes huge.

"Mister Black, Mister Black!" She squealed, bouncing rapidly. "You're an _Alicorn_?! And what're you wearing, Mister Black?! Is that a _real_ sword?!" His lips quirked up and he set his hoof gently on Pinkie Pie's shoulder, stopping her bouncing.

"Hello, Miss Pie," he greeted calmly. "Yes, I am an Alicorn. I am wearing my armor. And yes, this is a real sword." He glanced over the others, who were eying him suspiciously. "I can't join you on your quest, however," he informed them calmly; the cyan one's magenta eyes narrowed sharply.

"Oh yeah, and why's that?!" she snapped, getting in his face, which he resisted twitching away from. "Are you a _spy_?!" Harry snorted, even as the orange Earth Pony pulled the Pegasus back by her rainbow tail.

"Hardly," he replied calmly, before turning his goggled gaze onto the lavender Unicorn. "I was coming to inform you that I will be going to Princess Celestia, and seeing about freeing her from whatever captivity she's being held in. You are going after the Elements of Harmony, correct?" She nodded, eyes wide; he nodded and stepped back so he could see them all, before dropping into a careful bow. "I shall hope for the best, then," he murmured, before lifting his head, horn glowing as he once more locked onto a magical signature and spread his wings wide before teleporting.

He found himself standing before what must be the missing Princess Celestia, who was lying on the ground of a large, dark-metal cage with only a window, which seemed to be perfectly positioned to, not _only_ have a clear view of the moon, but also of the Everfree forest and, in particular, a set of ruins. Harry hesitated, before he gave a soft cough and bowed to the monarch as she shot quickly up into a sitting position, taking in his form with gentle-yet-shrewd eyes.

"Princess," he greeted quietly. "My name is Orion Black, and I am here to see about getting you set free." She sat there and nodded at him, and he began to carefully use his magic to probe at the cage, which was so deeply seeped in Nightmare Moon's magic, made stronger by the full moon's light, that he frowned at them while he worked.

"I was unaware of any Alicorn's besides my sister and Cadance," Celestia said cautiously, as she stood and stepped close to the bars, her sunlight-oriented magic causing the dark-moon magic to writhe and hiss under Harry's examination. He hummed softly as he began to see about pulling apart the spell at its tethers.

"I've been living in Ponyville under the guise of a Unicorn shop-keeper," he murmured absently. "I'm not much for attention." Needing clearer vision, he pushed the goggle over his good eye up and peered at the magic he could now see. "Tricky," he murmured, admiring the intricacy of the spell. "Princess Moon has impressive magic capabilities."

"Nightmare Moon is no Princess," Celestia informed him quietly; he hummed noncommittally.

"She and your Sister share a body, but different minds," he informed her simply as he carefully wedged his magic under a small hole he'd located, and began to carefully pry the magic up. "Saying that Nightmare Moon is no Princess is denouncing your Sister as one as well, in a way. There we go," he announced, stepping back as the cage began to steadily dissolve back into starlight and shadows.

Celestia stepped forward and spread her wings wide, her magic making her mane and tail sparkle prettily as she lifted her head to look out the window, towards the distant ruins.

"My most faithful student, Twilight, is gathering the Elements of Harmony as we speak," the white Alicorn informed him with a small, proud smile; Harry blinked.

"Ah," he murmured with realization. "The information-liking Unicorn that is friends with Miss Pie." He nodded easily, and the two turned and blinked as the ruins lit up with magical power, and a rainbow exploded through it. "It seems she succeeded. Shall we go to them, Your Highness?"

"Let's," Celestia agreed, and, with a flare of their magic, the transported themselves to the ruins, and, with Nightmare's hold released, Celestia's sun-oriented magic rose, strong and sure, and the sun raised as she was truly reunited with her younger sister, and Harry bowed to the two of them as Pinkie Pie sobbed dramatically.

"Hey!" She suddenly cried, perking up with a smile. "You know what this means?!" Harry smiled slightly at her as she bounced.

"A PARTY!"

**A/N:** Ta-Da! Thoughts?

**R&R!**

**Q&A:**

**Q: How good is Harry's Depth Perception?**

A: Good, because Magic Overcompensates.

**Q: What's happening in Harry/Orion's original world?**

A: Nothing that will matter to this story.

**Q: How are you going to differentiate between this and Fields of Thyme?**

A: How is this NOT different from FoT? I mean, not only did Harry get in MLP world a totally different way, his history is different, attitude, appearance, social connections…

If it's SIMILAR to FoT in some way, you should tell me, because honestly, I don't see thus far how the two could be similar or anything, so (Shrugs)

Thanks for the questions!


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